Control system

• US 9,637,087 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2012
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Hallstadt (Brose)
• Original Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Hallstadt (Brose)
• Inventors: Ma, Zikang
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, JELANI A
• Application Number:
  US14/343,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20150019085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/00 Doors B60J10/00 takes precedence; window aspects B60J1/00 ; side board or tailgate structures for open load compartments B62D33/023
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2054 by foot gestures
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/852 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/858 by body parts, e.g. by feet
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailboards, tailgates or sideboards opening upwards
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/023 for measuring distance between sensor and object G01B7/082 and G01B7/102 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/30 not involving the use of a pass

Abstract

The invention relates to a control system for driving a motorized closure element of a motor vehicle, wherein a control arrangement and at least one distance sensor are provided in order to detect operator control events, wherein a distance from a user can be detected by means of the distance sensor. The invention proposes that the distance sensor has a changing sensitivity along a sensor extent, and in that a longitudinal movement by the user along the sensor extent produces a pattern in the profile of the sensor signal with respect to time, which pattern is detected by the control arrangement at least as part of an operator control event, owing to the sensitivity profile along the sensor extent.

Claims

1. A control system for driving a motorized closure element of a motor vehicle, wherein a control arrangement and at least one distance sensor are provided in order to detect operator control events, wherein a distance from a user can be detected by means of the distance sensor,

wherein the distance sensor has a changing sensitivity along a sensor extent, and in that a longitudinal movement by the user along the sensor extent, produces a pattern in a profile of a sensor signal with respect to time, which pattern is detected by the control arrangement at least as part of an operator control event, owing to a sensitivity profile along the sensor extent.

2. The control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor extent of the distance sensor runs in a straight line at least in sections, and/or in that the sensor extent runs with a bend at least in sections.

3. The control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the distance sensor has a sensor element which is arranged along the sensor extent of the distance sensor.

4. The control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor element is an elongate measurement electrode which comprises at least one electrical conductor.

5. The control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensitivity profile along the sensor extent has at least one maximum and/or at least one minimum.

6. The control system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the maximum and/or the minimum are not arranged equidistantly in relation to one another along the sensor extent.

7. The control system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the maximum and/or the minimum are distributed in an asymmetrical manner over the sensor extent.

8. The control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensitivity profile along the sensor extent is provided in such a way that a movement direction of the user can be ascertained from the pattern in the profile of the sensor signal with respect to time, which pattern is produced in an event of a longitudinal movement by the user along the sensor extent, by means of the control arrangement.

9. The control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensitivity profile along the sensor extent is provided in such a way that a first position of the user along the sensor extent can be ascertained from the pattern in the profile of the sensor signal with respect to time, which pattern is produced in the event of a longitudinal movement by the user along the sensor extent, by means of the control arrangement.

10. The control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two detection regions are associated with the distance sensor along the sensor extent, said detection regions each having a different sensitivity profile along the sensor extent, with the result that a longitudinal movement by the user along the sensor extent into the detection regions generates different partial patterns in the profile of the sensor signal with respect to time, and in that the partial patterns are based on the sensitivity profiles within the detection regions.

11. A motor vehicle comprising a motorized closure element characterized by a control system for driving the motorized closure element as claimed in claim 1.

12. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the motor vehicle has a body component, and wherein the distance sensor is arranged in or behind a body component in a fitted state.

13. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sensitivity profile along the sensor extent has a first number of maximum and/or minimum in a first half of a rear skirt, and has a second number of maximum and/or minimum in a second half of the rear skirt.

14. A method for the operation of a control system for driving a motorized closure element of a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein a longitudinal movement by the user along the sensor extent of the distance sensor produces a pattern in the profile of the sensor signal with respect to time, which pattern is detected by the control arrangement at least as part of an operator control event, owing to the sensitivity profile along the sensor extent.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein an operator control event comprises a lateral movement by the user substantially perpendicular to the sensor extent, said lateral movement generating a pattern in the profile of the sensor signal with respect to time, which pattern is based on a change in the distance from the user.

16. The control system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the sensor element is oriented parallel to the sensor extent.

17. The control system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sensor element runs in a form of a loop at least in sections in order to influence the sensitivity.

18. The control system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sensitivity profile along the sensor extent has at least two maximum and/or at least two minimum.

19. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the motorized closure element comprises a motorized tailgate, a motorized side door, a motorized sliding door or the like.

20. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the distance sensor extends at least over a majority of a width of the body component.